This was my first experience cooking rabbit, and it took me about 3 hours even to warm up to the idea of opening the package. And looking at and touching “the bunny,” let alone cutting it up, for Pete’s sake…

Not only that, rabbit is extremely difficult to find where I live. But once in a while an out-of-town butcher that we frequent will carry it. Although rabbit is on menus all over Europe, we’re just beginning to see it here in the U.S., and mostly in French restaurants and bistros.

I’ve always wanted to experiment with it, however, and I am so glad I did. This rabbit could be the best dish I’ve made, sous vide or conventionally, with a couple of possible exceptions! As far as I’m concerned, sous vide is the only way to prepare confit, and once I decided to confit the rabbit, the other parts of the dish started falling into place.

A daube is just a stew of meat, vegetables, and herbs. It’s rustic but can also be quite elegant, especially with my addition of the pastry crust. The acidity of the sauce is a nice counterpoint to the richness of the confit, and the potatoes and ample portion of mushrooms make it a substantial one-dish meal.

All told, this recipe takes a total of 2 days to prepare, but there are 3 distinct parts to the process: dry-brining and preparing the confit of rabbit, preparing the daube on the stovetop, and topping with the crust and browning in a conventional oven. It would be easy to do everything but the last step in advance. In fact, the flavors of the daube improve with some standing time, so you can refrigerate it overnight and spread the prep out over several days. That makes it a great dish for entertaining.

The results are delicious, and the final presentation with the baked brown crust is smashing. You could save it for a special occasion or a small holiday dinner party, but why not treat yourself?

Serves 4

1. To prepare the dry brine, grind the juniper berries with the peppercorns in a small spice mill or coffee grinder or a mortar and pestle. Transfer the mixture to a small bowl and add the sugar, ½ cup salt, thyme, and lavender, if using. Stir to blend.
2. For the confit, arrange the rabbit in a dish that will hold it comfortably. Sprinkle the dry brine over the rabbit pieces, massaging it onto all surfaces of the flesh. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 6 hours.
3. Preheat the water bath to 175°F (79°C).
4. Wash the rabbit pieces thoroughly under cold running water to remove all the brine. Dry the pieces thoroughly with paper towels.
5. Divide the rabbit pieces equally between two large food bags and add 1 cup duck fat to each bag. Vacuum seal both bags and refrigerate until you are ready to cook the rabbit.
6. Cook the rabbit 8 hours.
7. Remove the rabbit from the bags, and wipe off as much fat as possible with paper towels. Set aside and allow to cool long enough to handle. Remove all the bones and cut the meat into generous bite-size pieces.
8. For the daube, heat a deep skillet or large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and butter and cook until the butter melts. Add the pancetta, lower the heat to medium, and sauté for 5 to 8 minutes, or until the pancetta begins to brown. Add the onions and sauté for 12 to 15 minutes, or until they begin to caramelize. Add the garlic and continue to cook for about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with 3 tablespoons of the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for another 3 minutes to cook the flour. Add the vinegar, wine, and port and deglaze the pan by scraping up any bits clinging to the bottom. Stir in the thyme, bay leaves, and cloves, ½ teaspoon of salt, ¾ teaspoon of pepper, and 1 cup of water. Continue to simmer over low heat for about 25 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld and the sauce to thicken. Add the prepared rabbit confit and remove from the heat.
9. Meanwhile, boil or steam the potatoes until just tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and add to the rabbit pot. Melt the 3 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the mushrooms and shallot. Sauté just until the shallot begins to change color, 4 to 5 minutes. Sprinkle to taste with sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Add the parsley. Stir briefly and transfer to the daube pot. The daube can be prepared a day or two in advance and refrigerated until you are ready to cover with the pastry and bake. Bring to room temperature, about an hour, before topping and baking.
10. When ready to serve, preheat a conventional oven to 400°F.
11. Transfer the stew and all of its juices to a 3- to 4-quart baking dish with high sides. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the puff pastry into a round, 1 inch larger than the diameter of the baking dish and ¼ inch thick. Carefully lay the pastry round on top of the baking dish and pinch the edges to seal it. Make 3 to 4 cuts in the pastry to allow the steam to escape. Brush the pastry with the egg white. Bake in the preheated oven until the crust is golden brown, about 20 minutes. Remove and allow to rest a few minutes. Serve in shallow bowls, scooping out portions that include some of the golden crust.

On a recent extended vacation I enjoyed many, many wonderful meals that were simply prepared, freshly made, and just plain satisfying. They brought me back to my childhood, when the meals my mother, Dottie, served were uncomplicated yet comforting.

One of my favorite dishes growing up was Mom’s stuffed cabbage rolls in tomato sauce. Although Dottie’s meat loaf is sacred — no changes, ever! — I thought I could tweak the cabbage rolls so they would work sous vide.

I upped the flavor profile a bit with the addition of dried fruits for sweetness, ground spices for aroma and essence, and lemon juice and vinegar for acidity. Now all I needed was some meat with good flavor and texture, and a light pomodoro sauce for serving. Happily, I had the latter in my pantry, so I got to work on the filling for the rolls.

I discovered that by preparing the meat stuffing the day before you plan to make the recipe, not only do the flavors have a chance to marry, the filling is firmer and easier to work with. I also decided to try blanching the cabbage in the SousVide Supreme.

I started with the water bath preheated to 200°F, and easily blanched the whole head of cabbage right in the bath, using a metal colander to keep it from floating. Next I reduced the temperature in the water bath to 140°F to cook the rolls. I served the finished rolls with our sous vide Salsa di Pomodoro Stracotto (slow tomato sauce), but a good-quality jarred Pomodoro sauce would be fine, too.

We loved them, and I think Mom would approve.

Makes 16 to 20 stuffed cabbage rolls

1. Preheat the water bath to 200°F (93°C).
2. Rinse the cabbage head(s), leaving them whole, then immerse in the water bath and blanch for about 6 minutes, or until the leaves begin to soften and become pliable. I used a metal colander to keep the heads from floating. Carefully remove the cabbage to a colander and drain. Let it sit in the colander until cool enough to handle.
3. Reduce the temperature in the water bath to 140°F (60°C).
4. Meanwhile, prepare the filling. In a medium bowl, combine the remaining ingredients except the egg and the tomato sauce. Stir well, then mix in the beaten egg. (The filling can be prepared a day ahead and refrigerated overnight. I found this helped the flavors marry and also firmed up the filling and made it easier to work with.)
5. Carefully peel off the large cabbage leaves from the head of cabbage, keeping only the leaves that are intact and large enough to stuff. You should have 16 to 20 leaves.
6. Transfer the leaves to a cutting board and pat dry with paper towels. Using a sharp paring knife, shave down the thick outer part of the stem end on the backside of each leaf, being careful not to cut through the leaf itself. This makes the leaves a bit more pliable and easier to fold around the meat mixture.
7. Place a trimmed leaf on the cutting board, stem end closest to you. Sometimes the leaves tend to curl, so make sure that the curl is facing upward; the leaf should have a bowl-like shape with edges that curl up and not down.
8. Place about ¼ to ⅓ cup of filling at the base of the leaf, centered horizontally about ½ inch above the stem end. Do not overstuff the leaves. A good amount of cabbage leaf around the edges makes for easier rolling. Fold the base of the leaf up and over the filling until it’s covered. Fold the left edge of the leaf inward, leaving the right side of the leaf open. Continue rolling the leaf until it’s completely rolled up with the right end still loose and open. Tuck the loose end inward towards the center into the filled part (like a belly button!). This will create a neat little package. Fill and roll up the remaining leaves. Pat the rolls lightly with a paper towel.
9. Carefully place a layer of 3 to 4 rolls in a food bag, add 1 or 2 tablespoons of your tomato sauce, and vacuum seal. Repeat with the remaining rolls.
10. Cook 2 to 3 hours.
11. Remove the rolls to individual plates, nap with some heated Pomodoro sauce, and serve.

Mostarda is a versatile accompaniment to food, but it’s not mustard, it’s a condiment like relish or chutney. The name is derived from the Latin word mustum (“must”), referring to the original and classic use of grape must for the base.

There are numerous mostarda variations but virtually all of them consist of fresh and dried fruit, spices, herbs, and a mustard seed–based sweet syrup, combined and reduced to a spicy, piquant, sweet-and-sour mélange. Mostarda is wonderful paired with anything from boiled or roasted meats and poultry to bread and cheese.

My favorite prepared mostarda is Mostarda di Ciliegie, an expensive import from Modena, Italy, which features cherries and the region’s famous balsamic vinegar. It’s fabulous with pork, cheese, and countless other foods.

The pricey part got me thinking about making a mostarda sous vide. Not only could I pick the combination of fruits, both dried and fresh, I could choose the spices too. And best of all, I could put it all together, let the water bath do its magic, and not have to “watch” the pot!

Makes about 6 cups

1. Preheat the water bath to 185°F (85°C).
2. In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients until completely combined. Divide the mixture equally between 2 large zip-lock food bags and seal using the water displacement method.
3. Cook for 1 hour.
4. Transfer the mostarda to lidded containers and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. I prefer to serve it warm or at room temperature. Use as an accompaniment to meats, poultry, bread, cheese, on sandwiches, or to perk up a vinaigrette or a sauce.

In Britain, Cheesy Cauliflower Bake is the comfort-food equivalent of our Mac and Cheese. Cauliflower is an extremely versatile vegetable that easily marries with a wide variety of vegetables, meats, poultry, and soups. It also makes a wonderful purée to accompany roast beef or a lamb shank — almost as delectable as mashed potatoes or polenta yet far less caloric.

Since fall has come by calendar but not by temperature where I live, it’s difficult to envision those wonderful cozy comfort-food meals by the fireplace. I’m still picking fresh tomatoes and basil and eating Caprese Salad by the bucket load.

But I’m ready for the coming cooler nights, so I’ve been leafing through my conventional recipes, looking for ideas for “shoulder season.” With a few tweaks here and there, this longtime favorite seemed like an ideal preparation for the water bath.

Luckily, the evening I decided to prepare it sous vide, the weather turned brisk and cool. It couldn’t have been a better meal!

Serves 4

1. Preheat the water bath to 175°F (79°C).
2. Place the chicken in a large bowl and add the herbs, cauliflower, squash, leek, ¾ cup of the cheddar cheese, ½ cup of the cream, pepper, and salt. Mix thoroughly and divide the mixture equally between 2 large zip lock food bags. Seal using the water displacement method.
3. Cook for 2 hours.
4. Strain the accumulated bag juices into a saucepan, add the remaining ½ cup heavy cream, and reduce over high heat until thickened, about 15 minutes, watching carefully that it doesn’t boil over.
5. Transfer the cooked chicken and vegetables to an ovenproof dish or ramekin large enough to easily hold all the ingredients. Add the thickened sauce and mix well. Heat a broiler to high. Combine the remaining ¼ cup cheddar cheese and the Parmesan and sprinkle evenly over the top of the casserole. Place the dish under the broiler for a couple of minutes to brown the top, watching closely to avoid burning. The assembled dish also can be covered and refrigerated overnight. When ready to serve, bring to room temperature, reheat in a conventional oven at 325°F for 25 minutes, then brown under the broiler.

Shortly after we made hummus from chickpeas cooked sous vide, a recipe for chickpea soup in the August/September issue of Food and Travel caught our eye. The recipe, by Spanish chef Jose Pizarro, was one of six recipes featured from his cookbook Jose Pizarro’s Spanish Flavours.

Pizarro, originally from the Extremadura region of western Spain, worked at the award-winning Meson de Doña Filo in Madrid before moving to London and gaining fame for a number of restaurants, most recently a tapas and sherry bar, Jose, and a full-sized restaurant, Pizarro.

The soup was fabulous, and by doing it sous vide we actually were able to omit several steps. Everything for the soup just goes into the bag once the chickpeas are soaked. Then the only thing left to do is to purée the soup in a blender and finish by sautéing the shrimp and chorizo for a couple of minutes. Easy-peasy and very, very good. Just note that the chickpeas have to be soaked overnight before cooking and plan accordingly.

The soup would also be wonderful, and a vegetarian option, with roasted red peppers in place of the shrimp and chorizo.

We are finding that any type of bean or legume is incredible when done sous vide. In addition to the hummus, also check out Sally’s Molasses “Baked” Beans, our frijoles or Pete’s black beans.

Serves 4

1. Soak the chickpeas overnight in enough water to cover by 2 to 3 inches. Drain and discard the soaking liquid.
2. Preheat the water bath to 195°F (91°C).
3. Combine the drained chickpeas, garlic, onion, bay leaf, dried chilies, sweet pimentón, and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large, zip lock food bag. Add 4 cups of water and seal using the water displacement method.
4. Cook for 6 hours.
5. Open the bags and allow the chickpeas and cooking liquid to cool for 10 to 15 minutes.
6. Working in batches if necessary, add the chickpeas and bag liquid to a blender and purée until smooth and soup-like in consistency. We used all of the cooking liquid and it was just the right amount, but add more water if needed to get the consistency you like.
7. Transfer the purée to a saucepan and stir in the lemon juice, hot sauce if using, and salt to taste. Bring to a gentle simmer over low heat.
8. In a sauté pan, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium. Add the chorizo and sauté for about 2 minutes, then add the shrimp and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 more minutes or until the shrimp is just cooked through. The sausage should be brown and a little crisp.
9. Ladle the soup into warm bowls and, using a slotted spoon, top with the shrimp and chorizo.
10. Add the pimentón picante to the oil remaining in the sauté pan and let it sizzle gently for a few seconds. Drizzle the seasoned oil over the soup and serve.

I’m always looking for good appetizers to serve when entertaining. After enjoying an excellent pork egg roll at a Chinese place recently, I got intrigued with the notion of a duck egg roll. I thought I’d use either Pam’s Duck Confit or my Sweet Duck Breasts for the main ingredient and pair them with a great sauce.

The duck decision would be made at the butcher — whatever looked the best and was more cost effective, the leg or the breast. I discussed the concept with the Ryalls, and for the sauce Tom suggested a brandy-infused hoisin sauce based on a Susanna Foo recipe.

The hoisin sounded fantastic, and Tom did mention that you could eat it with a spoon! Since that was a no-brainer, the only ingredient to switch up was the brandy. Pam has quince trees, and last year while visiting her, she showed me how to make fruit-flavored brandy. We picked some quince, washed and quartered three of them, and placed them in a huge Ball jar. Next we added a bottle of mediocre brandy, 3 whole star anise, 2 cinnamon sticks, and 3 whole allspice (or maybe it was juniper berries — I can’t remember exactly!). The flavors married for 30 (or was it 60?) days and bingo! — fantastic quince brandy that I use over and over in sauces, chutneys, sautéing, and so on.

Off to the butcher I went to make my duck decision (confit of legs because they were less expensive and looked fabulous), and back home to prep the water bath. I also made extra duck to have on hand for another meal.

Makes 10 to 12 egg rolls (serves 1 per person as an appetizer)

1. Remove the skin and any extra fat from the duck legs and shred the meat. Place the meat in a medium bowl. Add the cilantro and sesame seeds to the duck and mix to combine. Set aside.
2. In a wok or skillet over high heat, stir fry the ginger and garlic in the 2 tablespoons of oil until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add scallions and carrot and cook for 2 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the chicken stock, tamari, and sugar. Add the liquid mixture to the skillet along with the shredded cabbage and continue sautéing for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft and the liquid has reduced by half. Remove from the heat and allow to cool for 15 minutes. Add the contents of the skillet to the bowl with the shredded duck and stir to combine. Add the pomegranate molasses and stir to combine all the ingredients.
4. To fill and roll the egg roll wrappers, work with 1 wrapper at a time. Position a wrapper diagonally on a flat work surface with 1 corner of the diamond closest to you. Place 2 tablespoons of the filling in the center of the wrapper and spread it crosswise into a cylindrical shape in the center of the wrapper. With your finger or a pastry brush, paint a little water around the perimeter of the wrapper about a half-inch from the edges. Roll the corner closest to you over the filling. Fold in the sides of the wrapper and continue rolling it until the filling is enclosed. Press to seal, set aside, and continue until you’ve used all of the filling. Refrigerate until ready to fry.
5. Heat the peanut oil to 360°F in an electric deep fryer according to the manufacturer’s directions. Or, heat the oil to 360°F in a high-sided cast iron pan or wok, using enough oil to come up the sides of the pan about 1 inch. Carefully slide a few egg rolls into the preheated oil; do not overcrowd the pan or allow them to touch. Fry until nicely golden brown, watching closely and turning if needed. Remove the cooked egg rolls to clean paper towels to drain. Repeat with the remaining rolls. Serve with the hoisin sauce.

Makes about 2 cups

1. Heat the corn oil in a medium saucepan. Add the minced garlic and cook over high heat, stirring, until golden, about 2 minutes. Do not let the garlic brown. Add the hoisin sauce and the sesame oil and bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
2. Reduce the heat to medium and add the brandy and vinegar and cook for an additional 5 minutes, stirring constantly to keep the sauce from sticking to the pan. Add the stock and reduce the heat to low. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes, until the sauce is well blended and thickened. Cool the sauce and pour into a jar with a tight fitting lid. The sauce will keep for 1 month refrigerated.

Quince is one of my favorite fruits. There was a time when it was highly esteemed — the earliest settlers brought quince with them to North America in 1629. For more than a century, quince trees flourished throughout the colonies, until quince was eclipsed by the apple. Today most people in the United States are unfamiliar with the fruit, and it’s now considered something rare and unusual!

Fortunately, the quince is having a modest revival after centuries of obscurity (although the passion for quince has never waned in Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa). I have two young trees in my yard, both of which are thriving (although my first year’s harvest was a very modest, shall we say paltry, 11 quinces).

Now that this fruit can be purchased in farmers’ markets around the country, and even in some supermarkets, quince may once again become mainstream. It is a perfect fruit for the low temperature, slow-cooking technique of sous vide because it doesn’t lose its consistency and turn to mush like its relatives, the apple and pear.

This recipe is simplicity itself. I just put all the ingredients in a large bag (or 2 small bags), seal them, and let the fruit cook until it’s tender. I like to serve the poached quince and its syrup with yogurt or pancakes. It’s also delicious served with a dollop of crème fraîche.

Makes about 1 pint

1. Heat the water bath to 190°F (88°C).
2. Place the quince in 1 large or 2 small food bags, arranging the wedges in a single layer. Add the remaining ingredients and vacuum seal.
3. Cook at least 2 hours, or up to 4 hours; the fruit should be tender when squeezed.
4. Open the bag(s) and transfer the quince and its syrup (with the aromatics) to a sterilized pint jar. Seal tightly and refrigerate for up to 6 months.

A recent rerun of Iron Chef America featured New York chef Nicolas Cantrel challenging Iron Chef Marc Forgione in a “Battle Gruyère.” I decided to put my own sous-vide spin on Chef Forgione’s take on Chicken Cordon Bleu.

The ingredients are similar to a traditional Cordon Bleu. However, we used chicken thighs instead of breasts, prosciutto in place of ham, and Gruyère stood in for Swiss cheese. Rather than flattening the breast, rolling it up, and tying it as in Pam’s Chicken Dockside, I simply lightly pounded the thigh meat where needed, and brought the sides up to the center to form a round ball shape. The “ball” is wrapped in two pieces of plastic wrap and tied to form a perfect little sphere.

After removing the chicken from my SousVide Supreme, I browned it over high heat in clarified butter to transform the skin to a golden hue with perfect crispness. The forming of the balls is the trickiest part of the prep, but it’s worth fussing with it a bit — the end result is a fantastic presentation and tastes sublime.

I always purchase skin-on, bone-in thighs. I debone them myself because it is far more cost-effective and one of the easiest pieces of meat to debone. You actually end up with a lot more meat because the butcher tends to “butcher” the thigh when deboning. It’s a cost saver and, in my opinion, provides better-quality chicken thighs.

Serves 2 as an entrée, or 6 as a appetizer accompanied by a small salad

1. Preheat the water bath to 148°F (64°C).
2. Cut 12 pieces of plastic wrap, each measuring about 12 by 15 inches. Position 2 pieces on top of each other crosswise, creating a square shape roughly 15 by 15 inches. Repeat with the remaining 10 pieces of wrap (you’ll have a total of 6 “squares”).
3. Place a chicken thigh, skin side down, in the center of each square. If the thigh is not flat enough, you may want to pound it slightly to make it even. (Be sure to cover the meat with parchment as you pound it so as not to tear it.) Season the chicken with pepper. Place a prosciutto slice atop each thigh so that it is within the perimeter of the thigh. Center a cube of Gruyère on top of the prosciutto, and zest a small amount of lemon rind over it all.
4. Now bring the sides of the chicken up so they surround the prosciutto and cheese, holding the package so it forms a ball. While holding the chicken bundle at the top with one hand, bring the plastic wrap up all around the bundle and gather the edges of the plastic wrap together at the top. Twist the plastic a few times and secure it by either knotting the excess plastic wrap itself, or using a rubber band to close it tightly. Your finished package should be roughly ball shaped. Repeat with the remaining thighs to form a total of 6 packages. Transfer to food bags, 2 or 3 thighs per bag, and vacuum seal.
5. Cook not less than 60 minutes or more than 90 minutes.
6. Place about 4 tablespoons of clarified butter over high heat in a large heavy pan, preferably cast iron. When the pan is hot, remove the plastic wrap from the chicken and pat each chicken bundle lightly with a paper towel to remove excess moisture. Place the thighs carefully in the hot pan, skin side down, and begin to brown all over. Place the fresh thyme in the pan, tilt the pan slightly, and with a large spoon, continue to braise the thighs with the butter, adding more butter if needed, until the meat is evenly browned on all sides. Remove from the pan and serve immediately.

Pork chops can be difficult to cook on the stovetop as they dry out quickly and are easily overcooked. Bone-in chops can also be tricky to prepare because when most of the meat is done, the portion next to the bone often isn’t cooked enough.

That’s why sous vide’s even cooking is perfect for pork chops. Another plus we discovered when we were developing this recipe, is that the size of the chops isn’t critical when cooking sous vide. We worked with several weights — from the packaged variety that top out at just a little over a quarter-pound each to some huge chops that weighed in at closer to a half-pound each. Both types worked well, requiring virtually no adjustment to temperature or time in the water bath. We did adjust the serving size, though; we prefer to offer two of the smaller chops per person.

We browned the pork and then made a little sauce with ruby port, garlic, shallots, and habañero chiles before we bagged them. We love spicy food and we really love chiles, so this sauce is pretty hot. If you’d like to tone it down, reduce the amount of chile or substitute a milder variety such as jalapeños for the habañeros.

After the pork and the sauce were cooked, we strained the sauce, added a splash of sherry vinegar to brighten it, then thickened it with a beurre manie. The beurre manie also added richness. The final result was a juicy, perfectly cooked pork chop with a spicy yet elegant sauce.

Serves 4

1. Preheat the water bath to 132°F (56°C) for medium-rare chops or 140°F (60°C) for medium chops.
2. Season the pork with salt. Heat about 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the chops and brown on both sides, about 1 minute per side. When browned, transfer the chops to a plate. Pour off most of the oil remaining in the pan, leaving a thin film of fat.
3. Add the shallot, chile, and garlic to the pan and sauté until just softened, about 1 to 2 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the port, scraping up any brown bits in the bottom of the pan, and add pepper to taste. Simmer the port mixture until reduced by half, about 3 to 5 minutes.
4. Divide the pork chops and the port sauce equally between 2 zip lock food bags and seal using the water displacement method.
5. Cook for 6 hours.
6. Remove the meat from the bags. Strain the sauce into a shallow pan large enough to hold the chops.
7. Reheat the sauce over medium heat and stir in the sherry vinegar. Quickly prepare the beurre manie by kneading together the butter and flour until the flour is completely incorporated. Add the beurre manie to the sauce in pieces, whisking after each addition to allow the butter to melt and to prevent lumps from forming.
8. When the beurre manie is completely incorporated and the sauce has thickened slightly, taste to check the spices and the balance of the vinegar and adjust as necessary. Add the pork chops to the sauce just long enough to warm them and serve.

We love to cook sweet potatoes on the grill. But when you’re having people over for a barbeque, it is easy to undercook the potatoes or overcook and burn them, particularly if you have other foods on the grill at the same time.

We decided to cook them sous vide and then throw them on the barbeque for a few minutes to brown them. It works great, and if you’re cooking for a crowd, most of the prep is done ahead of time. All you have to do is take a few minutes to finish the potatoes when everything else is ready to serve.

This recipe is another example of how sous vide can simplify your life, and how well it integrates with other techniques and cooking methods. Easy and delicious!

Serves 4; recipe easily doubles (or even triples)

1. Preheat the water bath to 185°F (85°C).
2. Peel the potatoes and cut them into small wedges, slice them crosswise into pieces about 1 inch thick, or pare them into whatever shape works best for you that won’t fall through the grill grate. We cook our potatoes on a grill pan perforated with small holes.
3. Place the potatoes, salt, pepper, piment d’Espelette, and butter in a food bag and vacuum seal.
4. Cook for 30 minutes.
5. Remove the potatoes from the bag and toss with olive oil.
6. Transfer the potatoes to a barbeque and grill until browned, turning as needed, about 3 or 4 minutes. If cooking over direct heat, watch closely as they will cook quickly. We like to have an area on the grill that’s not over direct heat so we can move food to it if it’s browning too quickly. Alternatively, you can transfer the potatoes to a sheet pan and place under a hot broiler until browned.